


True or False

by musicmillennia



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Gen, Purely Self-Indulgent Fic, there's really no other way to tag this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-09-03 09:58:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8708047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicmillennia/pseuds/musicmillennia
Summary: Len's back on the team, and he witnesses firsthand how his partner's treated. He doesn't like it.(like it says in the tags, this is purely self-indulgent fic. You have been warned.)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Holding On](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8605234) by [nirejseki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nirejseki/pseuds/nirejseki). 



> lmao I'm a Bitter Bitch about the treatment of Mick Rory so I'm sorry if that affects how I write Len in this story

It takes a firefight with Ray using the cold gun for Len to remember. If there's one good thing that came out of the Oculus, it's leaving remnants of Len's original timeline in his head. Makes Mick almost glad that he didn't put up much of a fight when he saw the thing in Ray's hands instead of the new suit.

Once the Legion's cronies are taken out, Mick holsters his gun and takes off at a dead sprint. Len doesn't run, but the small lift in his arms is enough. Mick nearly knocks him to the warehouse floor, but Len's balance keeps them upright.

"Mick," Len whispers.

Mick buries his face in his shoulder. He wants to say something, even if it's just Len's name, but his throat's closing and fuck, he's shaking.

"Hope I wasn't gone long." Oh fuck. Mick never thought he'd miss that stupid drawl so much.

He forces out a hoarse, "Long enough."

Then Sara's tentatively calling Len's name, and Mick remembers where they are.

He steps back and lets the team swarm Snart. It's good that Lenny's appreciated by them. He deserves to be welcomed back with a kiss from a beautiful woman and pats on the back.

Ship's waiting.

 

As soon as they're back on the ship, Len asks Amaya and Nate, "And who are you?"

Amaya crosses her arms. "I could ask you the same question."

Len smirks. "They didn't talk about me? So nice to be remembered."

The team immediately protests. Sara's voice carries over the noise: "We couldn't."

Len softens just like that. "Oo, so I was Voldemort?"

Jax rolls his eyes, but he's grinning. "More like Harry Potter, but yeah."

Introductions are made, and Nate soon realizes that Len is gonna be belligerent towards him for the foreseeable future. Mick's not surprised; Nate and Ray are so similar in so many ways.

Speaking of Ray, Len turns on his heel and faces him. "Not that I'm not proud that you're walkin' on the wild side, but ain't stealing from team members a little too much for you, Boy Scout?"

So he still considers himself part of the team. They're not going anywhere.

Ray squawks. "Mick gave it to me!"

Len turns sharply to Mick. The surprise, the hurt, is something only Mick can see.

"Thought you were dead," Mick says.

Len's eyes narrow, like he knows there's more to the story. Mick's surprised at how out of touch he's gotten with being read.

"Either way," Len says, "I'll be taking my gun back."

Mick wants to rip the holster off Ray's thigh himself. Instead he keeps still and says, "Had to rebuild it. 'S not the same."

"It's still mine."

Ray hands it back easy as you like. Doesn't say anything about still wanting to be Mick's partner. Mick's not surprised.

"Haven't seen Rip," Len says, "although I enjoy not having a headache, I thought I'd see his twirling coattails by now."

And a few long stories are told. Mick's the first one to take a seat. Len follows and presses against his side, a silent reassurance of his presence.

For the first time in months, Mick relaxes.

 

Mick glues himself to Len's side just like he used to, and it shouldn't feel so much like coming home as it does. That's how it was in the past, but it's more potent now, 'cause Len was  _dead_ , and then he was pointing a gun at the team and asking what the hell Mick was doing with a bunch of heroes.

(Mick had wanted to say "I don't know," before going back to Len on the spot. But Len wouldn't've wanted that, and that's the only thing that made him stay.)

Len doesn't comment on it, just accepts his shadow as easily as his shadow slots into place. Like Mick thought, he agrees to stick around on the Waverider while making eyes at Sara. Mick doesn't say anything.

They go on their first mission barely a day after Len gets back. They're in England during the height of the Industrial Revolution, looking for the aberration Nate found.

"Alright," Sara says once they're suited up, "Stein, Ray, Nate, you take the upper-class neighborhoods. Amaya and Jax, do you mind if you disguise yourselves as servants?"

Jax shrugs. "After that plantation, I think I can deal with a lotta things."

Amaya nods. "As long as it's  _servant_."

"Good," Sara says, "once we get the aberration worked out, if it's a rich household, we can plant you guys. In the meantime you can join Leonard, me, and Mick in the undergound."

"I like this plan," Len drawls. Sara shoots him a smile, a genuine kind nobody's seen in a while.

"Let's see what kind 'a drinks they got in the slums," Mick says. Len smirks.

"How many times are you going to drink on the job?" Amaya asks.

"I'm due a welcome back party," Len says.

 

Len takes a deep breath. "Just smell that smog."

Sara's smile hasn't left her face. "Waverider too clean for you, Leonard?"

"A nice walk in the worst parts of a filthy city's always good for you."

He takes them into a bar. Mick orders shots and revels in the opportunity to drink with his best friend again. Len looks good in period dress, blue waistcoat accentuating his form and the brown coat complementing his eyes.  _Fuck_ , it's great to have him back.

"We're here to drink," Sara tells him, "remember that."

Mick rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I remember."

Jax snorts. "You sure about that? No offense, but you're not much for rememberin' stuff, Rory."

Sara and Amaya grin. Mick looks down at his drink.

Len raises his eyebrow.

And punches the nearest guy in the face.

"Whoops."

 

"What was  _that_?" Sara demands after every guy in the place is on the floor.

Len shrugs. "Guess I got a selective memory."

The statement comes out like an insult. Jax, Sara, and Amaya look taken aback.

Len heads for the sidewalk. "Come on, Mick."

Mick hurries after him. "You got the best memory I know, Snart."

Len says, "And they don't," and nothing else.

 

They find the aberration in another time pirate's fuck up. The idiot brought a device right in his pocket, where a beggar found it and made a shit ton of money using it. The beggar, now a rich man with slicked back hair and a huge mansion, is hosting a ball tomorrow night.

Jax and Amaya insert themselves into the staff as planned. Gideon makes body cams for them so the team can hope to catch a glimpse of what they're dealing with.

Amaya manages to get to the guy's bedroom on the excuse of changing the linens. Len gives her pointers on how a thief would think, and she finds the device in a compartment under the bed.

Len turns to Mick and asks, "What is it?"

Mick blinks. Stein huffs and says what they're all thinking: "Why would Mr. Rory know anything about this device? It's clearly future tech and very complex."

Len's nostrils flare. He doesn't look away from Mick. "Because Mick spent however many years under the Time Masters' thumb. He's been exposed to more future tech than any of us, and we're on a time ship. Or did you all  _forget_ that part?"

Mick blinks again.

Len steps towards him. "Do you know what it is?"

Mick pushes off the wall and looks at the device. He tilts his head.

"It's used to alter the timeline. Real small changes, and close range. Can't do much damage, but it can definitely make someone rich if you use it right. Hunters used it if somebody saw 'em. The stupid ones used it for other stuff, but they didn't make it past that mission."

Everybody's gaping at him, but all Mick can see is Len's gleeful smirk.

"Can you dismantle it?" Len asks.

"Won't do anything to fix what's been done, but yeah," Mick says, "I learned the ins and outs of my suit. Part of training."

"Then let's go get it."

 

After the mission, Stein approaches Mick in his room. "Mr. Rory...I believe I owe you an apology."

Mick raises his eyebrow. For once, there's no beer in his hand or after-dinner snack. Just his gun. "What for?"

"When we discovered the aberration, I didn't even think of your history as Chronos and any knowledge you might have gained from that time. I simply assumed you would know nothing about it, and for that I apologize."

Mick shrugs. "I don't think much of it either. We done talkin' feelings, or do I gotta leave?"

Stein gives him a small smile. "We're done."

"Good."

Len comes in shortly after Stein leaves. "He apologize?"

Mick eyes him strangely. "Dunno why, but yeah."

Len drapes himself on Mick's bed. "I don't see why he wouldn't."

"Team doesn't normally do that."

Len's eyes bore into his. "And what do they do normally?"

Mick shrugs again. "They know I don't know much. They call me out on it sometimes, and we move on."

Len sits right back up. "You know plenty. And you know you know plenty."

Mick's mouth quirks. He goes back to his gun. "Whatever you say, Snart."

"Since when do you back down, Mick?"

"Since I don't got a reason not to. 'Specially if people like Blondie and Jax are behind it. I like those guys."

Len sneers, "Do they, now?"

"You were there, Snart."

"I thought it was just a one time thing."

"Nah. It's a fun gag for the team. They don't mean nothin' by it."

 Len doesn't talk much after that. Mick tries to find out what's got him so pissed all of a sudden, but he clams up.

 

A couple days later, Amaya approaches Len and says, "I'm impressed."

Mick grunts into his sandwich. "By what?"

Len, studiously drinking coffee at the island, says nothing.

Amaya replies, "You're obviously adept at taming the animal in Rory. I'm glad he has you to help rein himself in."

The sharp  _clang_ of Len slamming his cup almost makes Mick and Amaya jump.

"And I'm sure someone from the 1940's knows _all about_ that."

Len's voice is deceptively calm, but he's over-enunciating his words the way Mick's learned to mean he's thinking of makin' a new ice statue.

Amaya tilts her head a little. "As a warrior of the―"

"Yeah, fancy necklace channels animal spirits, I got it," Len snaps, "and that just automatically makes you an expert on the stuff. Bet it makes you see everything like an animal, because if it doesn't, I'm gonna break your nose."

Amaya's eyebrows furrow. "Excuse me?" she asks sharply.

Mick's all but gaping at Len. "Snart―"

"Mick ain't no  _animal_ , lady," Len snarls, "and I know they didn't teach you this in the 40's, but he's got what's called a 'mental illness.'" He leans into Amaya's face. "If you ever say he's something to be 'tamed' in front of me again, you'll see what a real animal looks like."

Mick pulls him back. "Snart, she's just callin' it like it is―" he stops when he sees the blatant shock on Len's face. "What?"

Len responds by grabbing his sleeve and yanking him out of the room. He doesn't stop tugging until they're back in Mick's quarters, recently cleaned.

He puts Mick on the bed and asks, "What did they do?"

Mick blinks. "What did who do?"

"The  _team_ ," Len spits, "what did they do to you? You're not you, Mick."

Mick shakes his head. "I told her about the animal thing, Snart."

"Since when do you think you're an animal? Lisa and me, we ever give you that impression?"

Slowly, Mick shakes his head. Sure, Len's sometimes said in the past that he keeps Mick in check, but he never implied that that meant tying him down like the team did. Just meant he watched out for Mick when the fire burned too much, make sure that neither he nor other people got hurt if he fell into another daze. And Lisa, she'd only ever pulled him out of his episodes, never said anything except a firm "take care of my brother."

"It's 'cause you're  _not_. An asshole, yes. A wildcard, absolutely. But never some dumb beast to be kept in chains," Len finishes in a hiss.

"They don't keep me in chains," Mick replies dully, "just a short leash."

Len grips his shoulders. "We're getting off this ship."

Mick's head whips up. "Thought you liked playin' hero."

"You're not staying here. Playin' hero don't mean nothing if my partner's treated like this."

Mick shakes his head. "It's―"

"If the next word out of your mouth is 'fine', I'm breaking  _your_ nose too."

"You were gone, Snart. I let myself get outta control, and I told 'em what I am."

"You're someone who needs to get home is what you are."

"What about Sara?"

"What about her? You disrespect my partner, you're not worth my time. Pack the stuff you wanna keep. We're goin' to crash with my sister. Haven't even gone back to tell her I'm alive. She's gonna kill me."

Mick blinks. "Oh yeah. The team never told her you were dead."

Len freezes in the doorway.

In the ensuing silence, he snarls, " _We are leaving._ "

He storms out. His voice can be heard through the door: "Gideon! Set a course for 2016.  _Now_."

"Mr. Snart―" Gideon starts.

" _Now_ , Gideon!"

"...as you wish."

Mick sits there, stunned a moment.

Then, on jelly legs, he gets his bag.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm thinking of writing more on this idea, but with way more gay.
> 
> Thank you for reading my bucketful of salt.


End file.
